Hopper



Nm r. 22, 1966 w. c. BURGESS, JR 3, 8

HOPPER Filed Oct. 12, 1964 E: 7 {I 3 [y E I 20 22 1 I I2 I do i 7 I l :I l *1 i I I I i l l A l INVENTOR. WARREN C. BURGESS, JR.

mm. r/W

ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fiice 3,286,836 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 3,286,886 HOPPER Warren C. Burgess, Jr., 27018 Kennedy Ridge Road, North Olmsted, Ohio Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,217 Claims. (Cl. 222-196) This invention, as indicated, relates to hoppers, and more particularly to hoppers for feeding bulk material, or for feeding parts to parts handling devices, such as vibratory conveying apparatus, e.g. a bowl type vibratory parts feeder.

This invention will be described relative to its use with a pneumatic vibrating conveyor, although it may be used with any system, or Where it is desired to feed parts through a hopper, e.g. for packaging, heat-treating, degreasing, or any of a number of operations requiring or utilizing a continuous feeding of parts.

A hopper, normally, is formed from sloped surfaces and has an open top or mouth section, and an open bottom or throat section of smaller area.

Parts, e.g. transistors with attached wires, etc., are fed into the hopper through the opening in the top. As they pass through the restricted opening in the bottom they tend to interlock and bridge between the sides of the hopper. This bridging action,,unless broken up causes clogging of the hopper and interrupts feeding.

This invention solves this problem by providing a hopper with one of its sides pivotally mounted and driven by a vibration inducing device. The side mounted for vibrating is preferably pivotally mounted or hinged to the hopper along its top marginal edge and is, spring biased against adjacent sides thereof, or against a supporting frame member. A vibration inducing device is secured to the hinged side adjacent its bottom marginal edge, causing it to vibrate usually in a direction normal to the surface of the side. The vibration inhibits bridging action of the parts, and permits the parts to flow freely onto a conveyor mounted below the hopper.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but a few of the various forms in which the principle of this invention may be employed.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partially cut away side view of an embodiment of this invention in combination with a pneumatically driven conveyor taken in the plane indicated in the line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the pivoting pin as it appears in the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the pivoting pin taken in the plane indicated by the line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the spring mounting as it appears in the plane indicated by the line 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the spring mounting taken in the plane indicated by the line 77 of FIG. 6.

Briefly stated, this invention is in a funnel shaped automatic supply hopper or chute box through which objects, bulk material, or parts are fed. The hopper is formed from sloped surfaces, and has a top opening or mouth section through which the articles are placed into the hopper, and a bottom opening or throat section of smaller cross-sectional area through which the parts pass onto a conveying system. A section of the sloped surface is pivotally mounted to the hopper, preferably along its top marginal edge. The hinged side is spring biased in hopper forming relation with the other sides. A vibration inducing device, preferably a pneumatic vibrator, is secured to this pivotally mounted surface, causing it to vibrate in a direction generally normal to the surface to keep objects from becoming clogged in said throat and thus freely movable therethrough.

It has been found that application of oscillatory motion in a direction substantially normal to a sector of a hopper wall which is hinged to one of the marginal edges defining an opening of the hopper effectively prevents bridging of complex irregularly shaped parts such as half shell bearings, transistors, nozzles, automotive valves, etc., which normally tend to bridge adjacent the hopper throat and block flow of such parts from the hopper. Mere application of oscillatory motion to a side wall sector does not effectively accomplish the same result.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 13 in the annexed drawings, there is shown a pneumatically vibrated conveyor, generally indicated at 8, mounted between two structural members 10 and 12 in spaced relation to a base or floor 13. The structural members are angularly braced, for example, the structural member 10 is braced by the member 14. The conveyor 8 is resiliently mounted by springs 16 and 18 to a lateral cross member 20, which is secured between the structural members 10 and 12. A pneumatic vibration inducing device, generally indicated at 22, is used to impart vibrations to the conveyor 8. A suitable vibratory drive system is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,985,279; and has a substantially square wave power profile as disclosed in my Patent No. 3,186,537.

A funnel shaped chute box or hopper 24 is secured to the structural members 10 and 12 in surmounting relation to the conveyor 8. The hopper 24 is composed of a plurality of sloped surfaces. Hopper 24 may be formed from curved sloped surfaces in which case it would have a frusto-conical configuration. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, the hopper 24 is formed from four planar sloped sides or surfaces 26, 28, 30 and 32. Hopper 24 has an opening in the top or mouth section indicated at 34 and an opening in the bottom or throat section indicated at 36. The sides 26, 28, 30 and 32 converge towards the bottom opening or throat section 36, which is adjacent the conveyor 8. The sides 26, 28 and 30 are joined together along their contiguous marginal edges. The side or sector 32 is pivotally mounted or hinged to the hopper 24, preferably along its upper marginal edge 38 by any suitable pivoting or hinging means. In the case of a frusto-conically shaped hopper, a sector thereof would be pivotally mounted along its upper marginal edge by any suitable pivoting means. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the side 32 is pivotally mounted between brackets 40 and 44 secured to sides 26 and 30, respectively, by pivot pins 46 and 48, respectively. As more readily seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pivot pins are secured to the marginal edge 38 by any suitable fastening means. For example, pivot pin 46 is secured to the marginal edge 38 of side 32 by fillet Welds 50 and 52. The pivot pins are mounted for rotation in the brackets by washers and counterpins; for example, pivot pin 46 is mounted for rotation in brackets 40 by washer 54 and counterpin 56. As seen in FIG. 4 the pivot pins are drilled adjacent each extremity so that they are interchangeable.

The side 32 is spring biased in a closed position by any suitable resilient means. Preferably, a pair of outstanding spring support brackets 58 and 60 are secured to sides 26 and 30 respectively, intermediate the mouth and throat and extend beyond the side 32. A structural member 62 is welded between the brackets 58 and 60 behind the side 32.. A pair of coil springs 64 and 66 coact between the structural member 62 and the side 32 to keep the side 32 in a resilient hopper forming position. The brackets, the structural member-and the resilient mounting are more readily seen in FIG. 6 and 7. The springs 64 and 66 are held in position between the side 32 and the support arm 62 by any suitable fastening means. For example, the spring 64 is held in position by bolts 68 and 69 which pass through and retain ends of the spring and are secured to the arm 62 and side 32 by nuts 70 and 72, respectively. Bolts 68 and 69 do not touch,'and thereby permit free compression of spring 64. Gravity prevents spring 64 from lifting off of or disengaging from bolts 68 and 69.

In handling bulk materials, sealing means will be provided between the movable wall 32 and the adjacent stationary walls 26 and 30, respectively.

A vibration inducing device, generally indicated at 74, is secured to the side 32. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the vibration inducing device 74 is secured to the side 32 intermediate the spring connection and its throat or bottom marginal edge. Also, in the preferred embodiment of the invention a pneumatic vibration inducing device is used. It should also be noted that in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the side of the hopper which is vibrated is opposed to the direction that the material or parts move on the conveyor. The vibrating side 32 is so located because, in this position, it tends to push the parts onto the conveyor in the direction the conveyor is moving. The side 28 of thehopper 24, which is opposed to the vibrating side 32, has a portion of its throat section cut away as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus cut away or open portion of the side 28 is indicated at 76. The open portion 76 further prevents clogging of the throat section of the hopper. Guide plates 78 and 80 are secured to side 28 on each side of the opening '76. The guide plates 78 and 80 help in directing the parts onto and along the conveyor 8. 82 is a slide plate which acts as a throttle to vary the opening 76 for control of the rate at which parts or materials flow out of the hopper. .It is provided with slots 84 and 86 sliding over bolts 88 and 90 by which it is secured in a desired position.

Thus has been provided a new and novel hopper through which parts or objects pass onto a conveyor. By vibrating one of the sides which is pivotally secured to the hopper and held in a spring biased position, bridging or clogging of the throat section adjacent the conveyor, is prevented. Although the invention has been described in relation to a hopper having planar sloped surfaces, it is apparent that the principles herein disclosed may be applied to hoppers. having other configurations, e.g. a hopper having a frusto-conical configuration.

Other modes of applying the principle of this invention may be employed instead of those specifically set forth above, changes being made as regards the details herein disclosed, provided the elements set forth in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

It is, therefore, particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed as the invention:

1. A funnel shaped chute box or hopper having top and bottom openings, comprising:

(a) a plurality of load bearing sidewalls diverging from the bottom opening to the top opening, at least one of the load bearing sidewalls being hinged to the hopper, the remaining sidewalls being stationary, the sidewalls being exterior walls and directly supporting material fed to the hopper,

(b) resilient means,secured to the hinged side inter.- mediate its top and bottom extremities and coacting with the sides adjacent thereto, for holding the hinged side in funnel forming disposition with the other sides while permitting free and independent movement therefrom, and

(c) pneumatic free piston vibration inducing means secured to the hinged side adjacent its bottom marginal edge for imparting oscillating movement thereto and said vibration inducing means is characterized by abrupt acceleration and deceleration along a substantially square wave power profile. 2. In combination, a vibrating conveying apparatus and a funnel shaped chute box mounted thereon to feed material to the conveyor, the chute box comprising:

(a) four load-bearing rectangularly arranged planar sidewalls sloping upwardly and outwardly from the bottom opening, three of the sidewalls being stationary and being joined together along their contiguous marginal edges, the fourth sidewall being hingedly secured along its top marginal edge to the adjacent sides for oscillatory movement towards and away fromthe opposite sidewall, the marginal edges of the hinged member adjacent the stationary sidewalls being able to move independently of the adjacent marginal edges;

(b) resilient means, secured to the hinged sidewall intermediate its top and bottom extremities and coact ing with the sidewalls adjacent thereto for holding the hinged side in funnel forming disposition with the other sides while permitting movement with respect to the other sides, said means including:

(i) a structural member extending behind the hinged side and beyond its side marginal edges, and having its ends secured to the sides adjacent the hinged side;

(ii) a plurality of helix springs coacting betweenthe member and the hinged side to hold the side 1 in funnel forming relationship with the other sides while permitting movement therefrom;

(iii) means for holding the springs in position between the member and hinged side;

(c) a pneumatic free piston vibration inducing device secured to the hinged side adjacent its bottom marginal edge for imparting oscillatory movement thereto, said vibration inducing means being characterized by abrupt acceleration and deceleration along a substantially square wave power profile.

3. The combination of claim 2,. wherein the side of the chute box first passed under by the moving conveyor in its direction of travel, is hinged for oscillatory movement.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the sidewall opposite the hinged sidewall has a portion thereof. adjacent the conveyor, cut away to facilitate passage of material through the chute box onto the conveyor.

5. The combination of claim 9, wherein the guide plate is secured to each side of the cut away portion to guide;

the material onto and initially along the conveyor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,942,581 1/ 1934 Tolman 222-200 2,254,448 9/ 1941 Pursel 222-200 2,551,984 5/1951 Walton 2591 2,676,733 4/1954 Lober 222202 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. A FUNNEL SHAPED CHUTE BOX OR HOPPER HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM OPENINGS, COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF LOAD BEARING SIDEWALLS DIVERGING FROM THE BOTTOM OPENING TO THE TOP OPENING, AT LEAST ONE OF THE LOAD BEARING SIDEWALLS BEING HINGED TO THE HOPPER, THE REMAINING SIDEWALLS BEING STATIONARY, THE SIDEWALLS BEING EXTERIOR WALLS AND DIRECTLY SUPPORTING MATERIAL FED TO THE HOPPER, (B) RESILIENT MEANS, SECURED TO THE HINGED SIDE INTERMEDIATE ITS TOP AND BOTTOM EXTREMITIES AND COACTING WITH THE SIDES ADJACENT THERETO, FOR HOLDING THE HINGED SIDE IN FUNNEL FORMING DISPOSITION WITH THE OTHER SIDES WHILE PERMITTING FREE AND INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT THEREFROM, AND 